Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company headquartered in the Netherlands, today announces that it has been awarded the international AVK Innovation Award in the Environment category for a new, lightweight version of air-cargo containers. The containers help airlines to cut carbon emissions by 28,000 tons a year, the equivalent of taking more than 8,500 cars off the road.

The award has been granted for the development of new, ultra-strong air container panels, RP10 panels, made from advanced composite material technology from DSM. The panels are made with DSM’s Aeronite® resin and Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. DSM has licensed the technology to DoKaSch GmbH, a leading manufacturer of air cargo equipment, who made the containers commercially available. Following two years of successful flight trials, a total of over 400 containers have already been taken into service by various airlines including Lufthansa.

The container panels are designed to provide maximum strength at a minimum weight. The RP10 panels are three times more impact resistant and nearly 50% lighter than standard aluminum panels used in cargo containers.

The weight saving offered by the containers can result in a significant drop in fuel consumption for a typical air cargo fleet. A typical mid size cargo fleet will load around 5,000 containers over the course of a year, which could result in savings of up to 330,000 liters of fuel, yielding a 28,000 ton reduction in CO2  emissions. Just recently, more than two hundred airlines together with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have committed to halving emissions by 2050, from 2005 levels.

The prestigious international AVK Innovation Awards are annually presented for solutions to state-of-the-art technological issues based on the use of composites and thermosets. They highlight the achievements of the reinforced plastics industry in the field of environmental protection. This year’s awards were presented today at the annual international conference of the Federation of Reinforced Plastics (Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V.) in Stuttgart, Germany.

DSM – the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company
Royal DSM N.V. creates innovative products and services in Life Sciences and Materials Sciences that contribute to the quality of life. DSM’s products and services are used globally in a wide range of markets and applications, supporting a healthier, more sustainable and more enjoyable way of life. End markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrical and electronics, life protection and housing. DSM has annual net sales of EUR 9.3 billion and employs some 23,500 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations on five continents. DSM is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information: www.dsm.com

For more information:

DSM Corporate Communications
Herman Betten
tel. +31 (0) 45 5782017       
fax +31 (0) 45 5740680       
e-mail media.relations@dsm.com

DSM Investor Relations
Marc Silvertand
tel. +31 (0) 45 5782348
fax +31 (0) 45 5782595
e-mail investor.relations@dsm.com